Inspirations to Plan Your Holiday
Sri Lanka has a rich history stretching back across over 2500 years. Maybe more if the Ramayana legends are to be believed. The last remnants of these great monuments lie mainly in the north and in the centre of the island. Some of the best-known sites are part of the Cultural Triangle. The area between Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy. Many of these sites are religious buildings. But there are plenty of secular constructions in these areas too, although these become overshadowed on a regular basis. Exploring these ancient cities are some of the best things to do in Sri Lanka, for people interested in culture and heritage sites.
Sri Lanka’s cultural diversity is best seen in its religious pageants. Known as the perahera, it is a series of religious obeservances set amidst a procession of light, which include elephants clad in bright ceremonial regalia, fire dancers and traditional music troupes. Although peraheras are common around the country. The two most spectacular are the Navam Perehera held in February in Colombo, and in August, the Esala Perahera of Kandy.
Furthermore there are still wilder areas in the country where one can spot the largest subspecies of Asian elephant. Sri Lanka is famous for its elephants and especially leopards although these are harder to spot.
The country is surrounded by warm, tropical seas which are used as birthing grounds for whales when they return from their feeding areas in polar waters. On these tours one can catch a glimpse of even the blue whale itself, the largest animal on Earth. Mirissa, Kalpitiya & Trincomalee are popular whale & dolphin watching places in Sri Lanka.
The country also boasts among the world’s best beaches and there is a continuous coastline running the length of the island. In some places the water is incredibly clear and only a few inches deep. Some of the beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka are Unawatuna, Hikkaduwa, Mirissa, Bentota, Negombo, Arugambay, Pasikudah and Kalkudah.
The South Coast of Sri Lanka is renowned for its colourful mask carvings. With each mask having a story behind it, they play an important role in elaborate folk-dance by helping to portraying the characters nature. For the best of artisanal craftsmanship in brass and silver, Kandy offers the best opportunity to pick up an intricately carved ornament, handmade by descendants of jewellers to the ancient Kings.
Local cuisine & sweets consist of a mix of both local and foreign delicacies. Some of the Must Eat Sri Lankan foods are Milk Rice, Kottu Roti, Pol Rotti, Hoppers, String Hoppers, Pittu, Ambulthiyal, Polos Curry, Coconut Sambol, Kola Kanda, Sri Lankan Chinese (A spiced up version of a traditional Chinese menu). Sri Lanka’s long history of having been invaded or colonized means that we now have Portuguese and Dutch dishes sold as normal treats. For example there are the Dutch Lampries, a famous rice dish wrapped up in banana leaves and also Dutch confectionaries such as Kokis, a crispy fried desert. Some of the local fruits and sweets to sink your teeth into are Pineapple, Mangos teen, Jaffna Mango, King Coconut, Kavum, Mung Kevum, Pani Walalu, Aluwa, Arsmi, Weli Thalapa, Bibikkan and Aggala.
Arrack is a uniquely Sri Lankan alcohol, distilled from coconut water. It has been in production for centuries and historical records mention large-scale production. LION Lager is our chief beer brand. Our Ginger Beer is a famous soft drink for those who fancy them, with real ginger. Our primary brand of Ginger Beer is “Elephant House”.
Ceylon Tea originates from the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is regarded as the world’s finest tea.
Historically Sri Lanka has been part of the spice trade for thousands of years for its strategic location in the center of the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is the world’s largest producer of Cinnamon. Sri Lankan Pepper is rated as the best in the world. Cardamom, Cloves, Nutmeg and Mace are some of the other spices you can find in Sri Lanka.
Ayurveda is a medicinal system that has been in use for centuries, ever since it was brought down from India. Surgeries have been carried out on patients and these have been reportedly more successful than those done in Europe at the time. Ayurvedic drugs are common in village areas and now many spas use these massages and lotions as part of their healing repertoire. If you like to pamper yourself to a Taste of Paradise, Then a visit to an Ayurveda Spa run by a rated hotel or reputed independent operators such as Siddhalepa, Vendol, and Spa Ceylon is recommended.
Sri Lankan blue sapphires grace the crown of Elizabeth II, Queen of England. Also, we have many gem sculptures in the gem museum in Ratnapura. Sri Lanka is also famed for rubies and the well-named Sinhalite. This is a topaz-like gemstone with a similar color, found only in our country. It is a brown version of the naturally green peridot, also found here. Sinhalite is not really favored in the market due to the low demand for brownish-green gems. Dambulla is the largest rose quartz mountain range in South Asia.
The most popular sport in Sri Lanka is cricket. Every local man has “cricket” on his lips and it is played widely by boys and young men of varying ages and levels of income. Some manage to make do with makeshift bats and wickets. International cricket grounds in Sri Lanka are located in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Dambulla & Hambantota.
